St Neots Town F.C.
Supporting the saints online

After a gap of six weeks competitive inactivity St Neots returned to their Premier Division programme to record a comfortable away victory over Blackstones. They dominated the opening 70 minutes but after losing two of their attacking players to injury in a ten minutes spell they lost their shape and composure and although the home side finished the game strongly they never looked like threatening the St Neots victory. The result took St Neots’ unbeaten league run to ten matches and they were boosted by a man of the match performance from Dan Jacobs who was slotted in up front for the suspended Josh Sozzo and helped himself to two goals. There was also a promising debut this season for Lewis Webb who came into midfield after his transfer from the now defunct Kings Lynn. With their nearest rivals not in action St Neots strengthened their league position opening up a nine points’ gap over third placed Deeping Rangers.

Both sides looked a little rusty at the start and there was little notable action in the first fourteen minutes other than an angled shot from Rob Hughes that cleared the cross bar. Then it was a scrappy goal that gave St Neots the lead. Tony Scully drifted past his marker and crossed to the far post when Liam Harrold rose to win the ball and head it goalwards. A defender missed his clearance and Rob Hughes rushed in to take advantage but the ball seemed to spin loose wrong footing home keeper Ian Flavell who desperate lunge saw him carry the ball over the line for an own goal. Blackstones’ response was swift and effective for in their first real attack of the match four minutes later they were awarded a free kick lobbed over the defence by Kevin Ainslie. Defender Richard Jones rose at the far post to head the ball and it crept into the net as goalkeeper and defender appeared to get in each other’s way. That gave St Neots a ‘gee up’ and they began to play some attractive football enjoying most of the possession without seriously testing the home keeper. They regained the lead with a stunning goal out of nothing after 35 minutes. Play was around the half way line and the ball fell to Tony Scully who spotted Ian Flavell a couple of years off his line and from fully forty years out he produced an inch perfect volley that sailed over the keeper’s head and under the bar. That really fired St Neots and in the next ten minutes they bombarded the home goal. A volley by the hardworking Liam Harrold drifted just wide and then a clever Jacobs’ flick set up the striker again but his shot was just a foot wide. However the pressure did pay off a minute before the break when Harrold again won the ball well to set up Dan Jacobs and his low shot went in just inside the far post with Flavell looking unsighted.

The goal that settled the outcome came just 49 seconds after the restart. The industrious Michael Hyem carried the ball from his own half to find Harrold and he claimed another important ‘assist’ with a shrewd pass to set up Dan Jacobs for his second goal. Again Blackstones tried to rally and St Neots keeper Luke McShane was lucky to keep out a close range header with his legs from Avelino Viera after a long cross from Adam Scotcher. St Neots then had to send on substitute Matt Kenneford for Dan French injured in a late tackle after an hour and then ten minutes later more inter play by Jacobs and his strike partner saw Liam Harrold go clear but attempting to round the advancing keeper he was injured in a saving tackle by Jones and took no further part in the match with Chris Hyem sent on as a second replacement. Kenneford moved from wide right to partner Jacobs and with the side reshuffled St Neots lost their momentum. Ten minutes from time with the home side looking to capitalise substitute Sam Strange pounced on a mistake by Adam Jones to pull a second goal back for the home side but a tiring St Neots side were able to dig in to preserve their two goals cushion

• Team: McShane, Jones, Hyem (M), Webb, Fuff, Gent, French, Hughes, Harrold, Jacobs, Scully
• Subs: Kenneford (for French 61 mins), Hyem (C) (for Harrold 70 mins), Lomas & Trebes.
• Man of Match: Dan Jacobs

Match date: Sat 23rd January 2010